Our long-time operations manager is struggling with our new, fast-paced inventory management software, and we suspect it is a conative mismatch rather than a lack of effort. How do we use the Kolbe Index to diagnose if their natural method of operation is incompatible with this restructured seat?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When an experienced, values-aligned employee starts struggling after a system upgrade, it is rarely due to a lack of effort. It is almost always a mismatch between their conative wiring and the natural method of operation required by the restructured seat.

To diagnose this, use the Kolbe A Index. This assessment measures an individual's natural, unchanging strengths in how they take action.

Compare your manager's four-digit Kolbe score against the actual demands of the new inventory seat:
- If the new software requires highly detailed database management and constant data entry, it demands a high Follow Thru score. If your manager has a low Follow Thru score, this work will be incredibly draining and they will naturally resist it.
- If the system requires rapid troubleshooting and constant, unscripted adjustments, it demands a high Quickstart score. A manager who is low in Quickstart will feel paralyzed by the lack of structure.

Once you have this data, you can make an objective assessment. If the mismatch is severe, you cannot force them to change their natural wiring. You must decide whether to adjust the roles of the seat by delegating the draining tasks to an assistant, or move the manager to a different seat on the Accountability Chart where their natural conative strengths align.